Patricia Dalton

In the following viewpoint, Patricia Dalton maintains that children who participate in competitive sports are often asked to train and perform beyond their physical and emotional capacities. In her estimation, the amount of time required to succeed in sports can lead to a loss of key childhood experiences, such as socializing with friends and family. Dalton contends that parents, coaches, and doctors need to be aware of and reduce the physical and psychological risks that can occur in children as a result of an overemphasis on sports. Dalton is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Washington, D.C.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How have children’s sports schedules changed, according to the author?
2. What was Jimmy Connors’s reaction to his son’s decision not to become a professional tennis player, as...